Millimetre-sized robots given greater degrees of freedom

This is the claim of a team of scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) whose miniature robots were created by embedding magnetic microparticles into biocompatible polymers. The robots are ‘programmed’ to execute their desired functionalities when magnetic fields are applied.

Bioprinting microrobot holds promise for internal tissue repairs

The robots are claimed to improve on existing small-scale robots by optimising their ability to move in six degrees-of-freedom (DoF). While researchers have previously created six DoF miniature robots, the new NTU miniature robots can rotate 43 times faster in the critical sixth DoF when their orientation is precisely controlled. They can also be made with ‘soft’ materials and can replicate important mechanical qualities — one type can ‘swim’ like a jellyfish, and another has a gripping ability that can precisely pick and place miniature objects.